UNCONVENTIONAL THINKING BLOG

Happiness Matters

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 by Mark | Posted in Books, Business, Management, Small Business, Unconventional Thinking | Comments

Guest Blogger Lewis Green from Biz Solutions Plus

-Excerpted from Lead With Your Heart by Lewis Green

Happiness is the driving force behind everything Americans do. It is the key to determining their wants, needs and desires. It is the essence of the American Dream and is as important as the air you breathe. Even our Declaration of Independence calls for the pursuit of happiness. And yet a 2006 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 34 percent of Americans consider themselves

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9 Responses to
Happiness Matters

1. Lewis Green Says:
   November 23rd, 2007 at 9:10 am

   Mark et al:

   Thanks for sharing. Talk with you next week.

   Lewis

2. Prisco Panza Says:
   November 23rd, 2007 at 1:29 pm

   Noble effort to say the least. I am not sure that any employer can make any person happy. I think Happiness comes from the inside. On the other hand Happy people can make a big difference in a compoany and make it happier. As a company president with 37 employees I try hard to make our company a happy place to be and an environment to be proud of. No matter what we do ,however, there seems to be some unhappy people that want to “rain on our parade”. Those few do not deter our efforts, but I still question how effective any employer can be in creating happiness in people.

3. Lewis Green Says:
   November 26th, 2007 at 9:06 am

   Prisco,

   You are doing what I recommend: We can’t make anyone happy but we can create environments and atmospheres in which happiness thrives and prospers. Happy employees make for happy customers.

4. Mark Says:
   November 26th, 2007 at 8:19 pm

   Prisco,

   I really believe, and act on this, that anyone who wants to rain on the company’s parade, has to go. It’s the only way to be a great company and it’s the best way to reward those who have espirit de corps.

   Mark Stevens
   CEO

5. Lewis Green Says:
   November 27th, 2007 at 9:35 am

   Mark,

   So true. It is neither in the best interest of the business or the employee to keep anyone who doesn’t fit the culture and doesn’t care about the mission.

6. Bob Glaza Says:
   December 1st, 2007 at 12:52 am

   I think Lewis might be onto something here While happiness can only be found with practice – that is consistently aiming for that which brings pleasure – it can be found in the strangest of places. Some organizations and people in those organizations “get” it. They create an environment within which to develop our happiness. Others don’t do it so well.

   What do you think of the employee who questions the direction of the organization? I’m not talking about those who criticize the company – regularly making rain. I agree they must be gone. Is there a way for members of the organization who genuinely care about the mission to communicate the mission is not being met? Often this person is branded as a uncaring or playing against the team.

7. Lewis Green Says:
   December 3rd, 2007 at 9:16 am

   Bob,

   Excellent points regarding employees who challenge internal decisions that they believe passionately hurt the company. Although those employees are seldom appreciated, I believe some are necessary within every company in order to ensure that decisions are questioned, analyzed and carefull thought-out.

8. Bob Glaza Says:
   December 3rd, 2007 at 11:51 am

   thanks for making me think, LG – the under appreciated person in the the organization seldom recognizes their true value. The tendency too often is for that person to exhibit “poor me” behavior. The culture of the organization either allows them to work through it – or gets rid of them. My feeling is this “voice” in the organization is mostly ignored. Its where your heart of the business comes into play, I think. The question becomes is there room for this voice. Too often, the quick answer is “no”. In the long run the result is a loss for the employee and a loss for the organization.

9. Bill Bailey Says:
   December 15th, 2007 at 5:37 pm

   I agree hat you can’t make everyone happy, you just have to look after yourself. One way I found to improve your own happiness is to use momentor as this really does improve your future.

   I like the security function on this site, much better than most of the ones that you can’t read (Or i can’t at least!)

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